Self-Sabotage: 5 major types of self-destructive behavior among writers and a cure for each one. You probably know I work with aspiring writers on a professional basis. I love to work with writers who want to learn and grow as they create their manuscripts.
Dreaming Not Doing
Writing should be a spontaneous activity-idea to page-but we dream too long and the idea is lost in the haze
- We think we have a good idea for about a week and envision the big picture in our minds.
- Once we get to writing, we discover that we really don’t have much to say
Making Excuses
“Waiting for the Muse” is a Greek myth
- Writer’s block is another well-known excuse
- Take responsibility for your own ideas and actions and never use a fancy term like Writer’s Block to get sympathy
- The Muse is not going to whisper in your ear, you need to find your own confidence
Cure
Writers must outline their work
- Plot the major plot points, understand their characters in minute detail, and then walk them through the plot
- Follow a detailed, detailed, and well-thought-out roadmap
- There is plenty of room for spontaneity, but your map needs to be as detailed as needed
Failure to Revise Drafts
The very best thing we can do is write our entire first draft before going back and revising it.
- You have the entire piece of fabric to work with, and have the power and perspective to reshape it in desirable ways.
Setting Unrealistic Goals
Many writers get the wild idea that they are going to finish their manuscript in a week or month. When they discover they are unable to do that again discouraged, they come up with excuses like writer’s block or they give up.
Cure
Write a full first draft
- Then start the revision process
- You may complete many drafts to shape it your story as you wish
- When you think you have the draft you think is your final and best draft, send it to a competent copy editor
Cure
Self-sabotage is ultimately a blame game. You blame people or circumstances rather than being accountable for your own behavior.
- Plan your work and work your plan. When you have a plan, you don’t need to wait for anyone.
Zoning Out
The classic way for writers to zone out is alcohol or drugs
- Hemingway wrote “write drunk and edit sober”
- Many writers have mixed alcohol and drugs with writing, but this doesn’t make them better writers
- We can only wonder how much greater they could have been without their addictions
Cure
The cure is to identify these behaviors and refuse to be seduced by them
